Scotland National Team

Denmark’s 3-1 victory over Greece ensures Scotland will finish at least second in Group C, securing a playoff to next year’s World Cup. Victory for the Danes promoted them to the summit of Group C on ten points, with a favourable goal difference. Steve Clarke’s side also sits on ten points in second place, seven ahead of Greece with two qualifiers to play. The insurmountable advantage offers some optimism for the Tartan Army, following a fairly abject showing against Belarus on Sunday evening. Steve Clarke admitted he was “really disappointed” in his side’s performance, acknowledging that they can operate on a much higher level than they showed. While the playoff has been secured, full attention will now turn to the final international break of the year. Scotland face a Greek side hungry for revenge following their 3-1 to Clarke’s side last week. The final group match could see a ‘winner takes all’ showdown between Scotland and Denmark at Hampden Park.

Scotland 2 – 1 Belarus Gilmour (15′) McTominay (84′) Kuchko (90+6′) A late Scott McTominay strike helped to edge Scotland past Belarus in a nervy qualification tie at Hampden Park. Belarus subdued the Hampden crowd after a bright start. German Barkovski beat the offside trap, but his flashed ball had no takers, with Scotland defending the resulting corner. Pavel Zabelin’s powerful header narrowly missed as the visitors continued to grow into the game. Steve Clarke’s team looked disjointed but started to find a rhythm after ten minutes. Che Adams cut his shot wide after a Billy Gilmour through ball, as they searched for an opening goal That goal arrived in the 15th minute. Jack Hendry found Adams in the box, who showed composure to turn and drill a left-footed strike into the bottom corner. A VAR check confirmed the goal to stand, allowing Hampden to breathe a collective sigh of relief. Ben Gannon-Doak impressed against Belarus last month and had started his latest appearance in a similar fashion. He beat Zabelin with a stepover in the 20th minute, but found the side netting when he perhaps should have squared to the onrushing John McGinn. Yevgeny Malashevich blazed high over Angus Gunn’s bar as the Belarusians looked to reply to the Scottish pressure. Gannon-Doak continued to torment Zabelin after 27 minutes, but his cutback to Scott McTominay was nullified by the visiting defence. VAR moved off a penalty shout after a flowing Scottish move, as the home side looked for a second goal. With only a slender advantage, Clark would be keen for his side to build on Adams’ left-footed strike. Gannon-Doak tested Fedor Lapoukhov with a stinging strike on the stroke of halftime, continuing as Scotland’s bright spark in a flat opening period. The homeside started the second half with endeavour. Kenny McLean scuffed a shot  wide, and Scott McTominay stung Lapoukhov’s palms as the hunt for the second goal continued. Gannon-Doak drove at the Belarus defence in the 53rd minute, squaring for McGinn whose rasping shot was pushed wide by Lapoukhov. Referee Marian Barbu had two massive refereeing calls shortly after the hour mark. First, he denied the home side a penalty, waving away claims after an apparent handball by Adams in the box. Moments later, he disallowed a Belarus goal, ruling that McTominay had been fouled in the build-up. The second incident, in particular, served as a harsh reality check for Steve Clarke’s side. Despite their lead, the initial ‘goal’ signalled they would need to solidify their performance to secure all three points. Adams bundled a Gannon-Doak cross into the net after 70 minutes, but VAR was once again forced to intervene as the striker had taken up an offside position. Belarus, buoyed by their disallowed goal, grew into the game, to the disdain of the home support. The visitors had conceded 13 goals in their opening 3 qualifying games, but were making matters awkward for Scotland. A welcome second goal arrived in the 84th minute. Andy Robertson’s left-footed cross found its way to McTominay in the six-yard box, who finished clinically into the right corner. A subdued celebration by the Napoli talisman signified the frustration of this Scottish performance. They had made this tie far more difficult than it should have been. Belarus pulled a goal back in stoppage time, substitute Gleb Kuchko beat Robertson to the ball and drilled under Gunn, creating a nervy ending at Hampden Park. The full-time whistle temporarily moved Scotland to the top of Group C. Victory for Denmark this evening will confirm a World Cup playoff, but for Steve Clarke, all focus will turn to an away encounter in Greece next month. Scotland: Gunn 6 Ralston 6 Hendry 6 McKenna 6 Robertson 5 Gannon-Doak 7 McLean 6 Gilmour 7 McGinn 6 McTominay 6 Adams 7 Substitutes: Tierney 5 Souttar 5 Miller Dykes Bowie Belarus: Lapoukhov 7 Pigas 6 Parkhomenko 6 Martynovich 6 Zabelin 6 Malashevich 6 Ebonh 6 Yablonski 6 Pechenin 6 Gromyko 6 Barkovski 7 Substitutes: Melnichenko 5 Korzun Kuchko Karpovich Demchenko

Scotland 3-1 Greece Christie (64′) Ferguson (80′) Dykes (90+3′) Tsimikas (62′) A gritty second-half comeback moved Scotland onto 7 points in Group C, as their World Cup sprint continued in dramatic fashion. Ben Gannon-Doak had an early chance to stretch his legs in the first minute. The home side worked the ball to John McGinn on the edge of the box, but the Aston Villa captain’s shot was blocked. Christos Tzolis featured for Club Brugge in a 9-1 Champions League thrashing against Rangers. He delivered a tantalising pass across the six-yard box after seven minutes, which Vangelis Pavlidis could not steer goalwards. It was a golden opportunity, which helped to settle Ivan Jovanovic’s side. Greece continued to threaten in the opening 15 minutes, the home defence blocked an Anastasios Bakasetas strike inside the box, and Kostas Tsimikas blasted over from the resultant corner kick. The visitors dominated possession, building on their last Hampden visit, which ended in a 3-0 victory. Their confident start was ominous for the frustrated home support. Konstantinos Tzolakis eventually cleared John McGinn’s deep cross on 17 minutes as Scotland looked to wrestle control back in the game. But despite surviving the early onslaught, Scotland were struggling to get their foot on the ball. The Greek press suffocated the home defence for large portions of the first period, allowing cheap turnovers in dangerous areas. Pavlidis almost took advantage of their latest turnover on 32 minutes. After locating acres of space on the edge of the box, he drilled a low deflected shot, which Gunn had to be alert to parry away. The match was goalless at halftime, and Scotland lacked an attacking edge. Steve Clarke’s side have one win in nine at Hampden Park, and would have to deliver a more assured second-half performance if they were to continue their positive start to Group C. Scotland were awarded another let-off in the first minute of the second half. Tsimikas had space to pick out Pavlidis in the box with a left-hand cross, the striker sharply moved across Grant Hanley but headed over. Greece played through Scotland with ease after 53 minutes. Tzolis and Pavlidis danced around several navy jerseys; the latter found Giorgos Masouras, who lashed over. The goal finally arrived in the 62nd minute. A Pavlidis shot deflected into the path of the unmarked Tsimikas, who made no mistake to roll past Gunn. The goal felt inevitable and warranted the Greeks’ dominant showing. Miraculously, Scotland struck level two minutes later. Ryan Christie bundled home Grant Hanley’s knockout after substitute Anthony Ralston had kept a Scotland corner alive. A nervy VAR check ensued, but with the goal confirmed, relief could be felt all around Hampden Park. Greece, to their credit, found their rhythm once more. The introduction of wonderkid Konstantinos Karetsas offered further firepower in the visiting attack. Che Adams almost converted an inventive free kick in the 73rd minute. He peeled into space at the front post, but his shot was deflected wide. Hampden erupted in the 80th minute as Scotland found their second goal. Andy Robertson teased a free kick to the back post, which Greece failed to clear. Lewis Ferguson was alert to smash high into the net, completing an unlikely comeback. The home side had six minutes of stoppage time to negotiate as they ticked closer to a precious victory. Gunn pushed a Karetsas strike round the post in the 91st minute to keep the Scots ahead. Lyndon Dykes sealed the victory in the 93rd minute. Greek goalie Tzolakis spilt the ball into the striker’s path, who had the easy task of firing into the open goal. Scotland laboured for 64 minutes, but took a major step towards a first World Cup appearance in 27 years. They welcome Belarus to Hampden on Sunday evening in their 4th qualifying game. Scotland: Gunn 6 Hickey 6 Hanley 7 Souttar 6 Robertson 6 Gannon-Doak 6 Ferguson 6 Christie 7 McGinn 6 McTominay 6 Adams 6 Substitutes: Ralston 6 Gilmour 6 Tierney 6 Dykes 6 McKenna Greece:Tzolakis 6 Vagiannidis 7 Mavropanos 6 Koulierakis 6 Tsimikas 7 Kourbelis 6 Zafeiris 7 Masouras 7 Baketsas 6 Tzolis 8 Pavlidis 7 Substitutes: Ioannidis 5 Karetsas 5 Konstantelias 5 Mouzakitis 4 Mantalos 4

Scotland host Greece and Belarus this weekend in the latest leg of their World Cup Qualifying Campaign, and captain Andy Robertson believes his side can lead the Tartan Army to “America, Canada, and Mexico” next summer. Steve Clarke’s side currently sit second place in Group C, collecting four points against Denmark and Belarus last month. Robertson praised his side’s performances, but also acknowledged that improvements can be made this week. “I thought we got back to our best in September, I thought the lads were good, and we got the results to match that” “Delighted with a point away to the pot 1 team, but I think all the lads were sat in the changing room thinking it could have been more, I do think we had our moments, we had our chances, we had periods of pressure where we had them where we wanted them” Robertson also paid homage to his team’s professionalism against minnows Belarus, referencing that the match “was difficult on lots of different reasons” with none of the Tartan Army present inside the ZTE Arena. Thursday’s match against Greece may spark nightmares for supporters, after a comprehensive 3-0 defeat to the Greeks in March relegated Scotland to Nations League B. Ivan Jovanovic’s side have received a major boost with the return of attacking star Konstantinos Karetsas, who originally looked set to miss the games, but has recovered from illness. The 17-year-old starred in the thrashing, adding the second goal minutes before halftime. Christos Tzolis should also play a pivotal part on Thursday night. The Club Brugge attacker enjoyed a major role in a 9-1 aggregate victory over Rangers in the Champions League Play-off Round. But Scotland will also be bolstered, and have reason to be confident. The return of Premier League stars Ben Gannon-Doak and Aaron Hickey, both injured for Greece’s last visit, will add threat in the wide areas. The captain has urged his side to produce a better performance against Jovanovic’s side tomorrow evening, “The last time we faced Greece here was obviously a huge disappointment, we’ve got to try and learn from that game and learn from our mistakes” Ultimately, it is vital that Scotland perform strongly due to the short qualifying format. With only four games left to secure automatic entry to the World Cup, Robertson admits the campaign is a “bit of a sprint”, reinforcing the importance to kick on in this latest round of fixtures. Two strong performances in Mount Florida would be a major leap towards a first World Cup appearance for 27 painful years. Scotland face Greece at Hampden on October 9th at 7:45pm, and face Belarus on October 12th at 5pm. Both matches will be broadcast on BBC Scotland.

Scotland welcome Greece and Belarus to Hampden Park next month as their World Cup quest continues. Craig Gordon returns to the 25-man squad, as Steve Clarke looks to build on an unbeaten start to Group C. Greece visit Hampden on October 12th and sit 3rd in the group. Clarke’s side were well beaten against the Greeks in March, a 3-0 defeat by Ivan Jovanovic’s side relegated Scotland in the Nations League. Belarus are next on October 15th, a Che Adams strike and an own goal secured a 2-0 away victory for the Scots over Belarus earlier in the group. Scotland Squad Goalkeepers: Craig Gordon, Angus Gunn, Liam Kelly Defenders: Grant Hanley, Jack Hendry, Aaron Hickey, Scott McKenna, Anthony Ralston, Andy Robertson, Kieran Tierney Midfielders: Ryan Christie, Lewis Ferguson, Ben Gannon-Doak, Billy Gilmour, John McGinn, Kenny McLean, Scott McTominay, Lennon Miller Forwards: Che Adams, Kieron Bowie, Lyndon Dykes, George Hirst

Midfielders Scott McTominay and Caroline Weir were celebrated at the recent Ballon d’Or ceremony in Paris. McTominay’s stunning form for Napoli earned him an 18th-place finish in the men’s rankings. His outstanding debut season in Serie A not only saw him win the league’s Player of the Year award but also helped fire Napoli to the Scudetto over Champions League finalists Inter Milan. The midfielder’s high ranking placed him above players like Jude Bellingham, Erling Haaland, and Virgil van Dijk, with Ousmane Dembele taking home the top prize. On the women’s side, Caroline Weir became the first Scottish woman to ever receive a Ballon d’Or nomination. Finishing 30th, she was a part of a field that saw Aitana Bonmatí claim the award for a third straight year. Weir’s journey started at Hibernian, before moves to clubs like Liverpool, Manchester City, and now Real Madrid. She has netted 31 goals in 59 appearances since moving to Spain.

Steve Clarke’s Scotland kicked off their World Cup qualifying campaign on a positive note, securing four points from their first two Group C fixtures. Last night’s comfortable 2-0 victory over Belarus capped off a solid opening round. While not the most spectacular match to watch, the win was both professional and controlled, leaving the team well-positioned for the upcoming matches. The ever-stoic Clarke himself described it as “A good start,” and now has his sights set on the upcoming home fixture against Greece at Hampden. With the Tartan Army feeling optimistic, can we finally dream of a first World Cup appearance for 27 years? Much-Needed Defensive Stability Scotland’s successful qualifying run for the Euros in Germany was built on resolute defence. They began that campaign with four clean sheets in five games, ErlingHaaland’s penalty in Oslo was the only blemish on the spectacular start. This strong foundation crumbled in the lead-up to and during Euro 2024, with high-scoring losses to Germany, Netherlands, and France, as well as five goals conceded in their final qualifying matches against Georgia and Norway. With clean sheets against both Denmark and Belarus to open the latest campaign, there’s reason to believe Scotland’s defensive prowess is returning. Grant Hanley’s solid showing in Copenhagen was particularly impressive and a welcome sight for fans. Exciting Youth Options The team was bolstered with some exciting young talent. Ben Doak offers a dynamic option on the wing. The former Celtic youngster plays with no fear and was a constant threat to the Belarus defence. His impressive loan spell at Middlesbrough last season earned him a £20 million move to Premier League side Bournemouth. His positive performance against Belarus may just be enough to earn him a start against Greece next month.   Additionally, Aaron Hickey has made a welcome return to the squad. A hamstring injury had sidelined him for 16 months, causing him to miss a potential place in Scotland’s Euro 2024 squad. He was dropped straight in against Denmark and delivered a strong performance on the right hand side. With regular first-team football at Brentford, he is another player who could make a significant impact on the national side.   What’s Next?   A crucial double-header against Greece and Belarus looms in four weeks’ time. With both games at Hampden, it presents an excellent opportunity to push closer to a first World Cup in 27 years. While there is still plenty of work to do, The team is in a great position, with three of their final four matches at home.   Clarke and the squad will be well aware of Greece’s threat, especially after a convincing 3-0 defeat at Hampden in March. That resounding victory saw goals from exciting young talents like Konstantinos Karetsas and Christos Tzolis. Rangers fans will know all about the latter, who was involved in Club Brugge’s 9-1 triumph over the Ibrox side last month.   But with a more resolute defensive setup, and the inclusion of fresh talents like Doak and Hickey, the team should be far better equipped to secure a victory.